Undersea hydraulic coupling

ABSTRACT

An undersea hydraulic coupling having a stepped internal bore dimensioned to increase the flow rate through the coupling is disclosed. The coupling allows an increased flow rate without increasing the size or weight of the coupling, by positioning the poppet valve in the body section, rather than in the probe section, of the male coupling member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to hydraulic couplings used inundersea drilling and production applications. More particularly, theinvention involves an undersea hydraulic coupling member that is capableof holding higher pressures at increased flow rates without increasingthe external dimensions or weight.

2. Description of Related Art

Subsea hydraulic couplings are old in the art. The couplings generallyconsist of a male member and a female member, with soft seals positionedwithin the female member to seal the junction between the male and thefemale members. The female member is generally a cylindrical body with arelatively large diameter longitudinal bore at one end and a relativelysmall diameter longitudinal bore at the other. The small borefacilitates connections to hydraulic lines, while the large borecontains soft seals and receives the male portion of the coupling. Themale member includes a cylindrical portion, or probe, at one end havinga diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the large bore of thefemale portion of the coupling. The male member also includes aconnection at its other end to facilitate connection to hydraulic lines.When the cylindrical portion of the male member is inserted into thelarge bore of the female member, according to the various embodiments ofthe device, the soft seals, or O-rings, either abut the end or face ofthe male member or engage the cylindrical probe wall about its outercircumference. The hydraulic fluid is then free to flow through thefemale and male members of the coupling and seals prevent that flow fromescaping about the joint and the coupling. A check or poppet valve maybe installed in the female member and also in the male member. Eachvalve closes when the coupling is broken so as to prevent fluid fromleaking out of the system of which the coupling is a part.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,859 to Robert E. Smith, III, assigned to NationalCoupling Company, Inc., of Stafford, Tex., an undersea hydrauliccoupling and metal seal is disclosed. This patent describes a reusablemetal seal which engages the outer circumference of the probe when it ispositioned within the female member bore. The metal seal is held inplace by a retainer. When the male and female portions of the couplingare parted under pressure, the retainer prevents the metal seal fromblowing out through the bore of the female member. The male and femalemembers each have valve actuators extending from the poppet valves. Whenthe male member enters the female member bore and the valve actuatorsare engaged, each of the poppet valves is urged opened and the poppetvalve springs arc compressed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,106 to Robert E.Smith, III, assigned to National Coupling Company, Inc., also shows anundersea hydraulic coupling and radial metal seal that engages thediameter of the probe or male member.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,071 to Robert E. Smith, III, assigned to NationalCoupling Company, Inc., shows an undersea hydraulic coupling with atwo-piece retainer for restraining radial movement of a wedge-shapedannular seal into the central bore of the female member. The annularseal is restrained by a dove tail interfit with a mating shoulder oneither the retainer sleeve, the retainer-locking member, or both parts.U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,439 also shows an undersea hydraulic coupling with atwo-piece retainer having a dovetail interfit with an annular seal.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,702 to Robert E. Smith, III, assigned to NationalCoupling Company, Inc., shows an undersea hydraulic coupling having amale member with a stepped outer body to more accurately position andguide the male member into the seals, ensuring greater seal reliabilityand longer seal life. These step surfaces also help prevent implosion ofthe seals due to sea pressure when the end of the male member comes outof the seals.

Additionally, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/293,554 to Robert E.Smith, III, assigned to National Coupling Company, Inc., relates to anundersea hydraulic coupling having an extended probe section having avalve spring with a greater diameter then the diameter of the extendedprobe section, to provide sufficient forces to prevent the poppet valveof the male member from opening at high subsea pressures, and to reducethe diameter of the sealing surface.

In subsea hydraulic systems, it is desirable to increase flow ratesthrough the system of which the couplings are a part. The flow ratethrough the coupling, and the lines attached to the coupling, are afunction of the diameter of the internal bore through the coupling andlines. As known by those skilled in the art, the maximum flowcoefficient through a coupling may be determined and calculated based onthe dimensions of the coupling bore.

To withstand the higher pressures of hydraulic flow through a coupling,the body of the coupling member, and the probe section of the malemember in particular, must be of sufficient thickness to withstand theinternal working pressure and the pressure external to the coupler as aresult of substantial ocean depths. Accordingly, as known by thoseskilled in the art, the metal thickness of the coupling body may bedetermined by the working pressure through the bore of the coupler, andthe yield of the material from which the coupling is machined. However,increasing the size and thickness of the coupling member to accommodatehigher working pressures and higher subsea pressures is problematic.Remote operating vehicles (ROVs) must frequently be used to transport,engage and disengage coupling members. The ROVs may be limited in weightand size capacity to transport and install coupling members. Frequently,multiple coupling members are connected to a manifold plate and must betransported and mated while subsea with couplings attached to anopposing manifold plate. To enable the remote operating vehicle toaccomplish this work, it is desirable to minimize the size and weight ofeach coupling member. In the past, reducing the size and weight of thecoupling member also requires reducing the flow rate or the capabilityof the coupling to handle higher pressures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention resides in an undersea hydraulic coupling of theforegoing type including male and female members for fluid communicationtherebetween and valves for controlling fluid flow in each of themembers. The present invention includes a male member, or probe, havinga stepped internal bore with a larger diameter bore in the first end, orbody section, and a smaller diameter bore in the probe section. With thepresent invention, the coupling member allows increased flow ratesthrough the coupling, and also increases the ability of the couplingmember to hold higher pressures.

The poppet valve in the male coupling member is positioned in the largerdiameter bore. The poppet valve is not positioned in the probe section,but is positioned in the body section of the male member. The valveactuator of the female member enters the probe section to engage thevalve actuator of the male member. The poppet valve of the male memberhas a larger outer diameter than the outer diameter of the probe sectionof the male member that enters and seals with the receiving chamber ofthe female member of the coupling.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a coupling allowing a higherflow rate due to the larger bore, without increasing the coupling sizeor weight. Additionally, the coupling can hold higher pressures atincreased ocean depths.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings form part of the present specification and areincluded to further demonstrate certain aspects of the presentinvention. The invention may be better understood by reference to one ormore of these drawings in combination with the detailed description ofspecific embodiments presented herein.

FIG. 1 is a cross-section view of a male member of the couplingaccording to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of a female member according to a firstpreferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the connected male and female couplingmembers according to a first preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a cross-section view of a male coupling member 10 whichincludes a threaded handle 12 adjacent the first end of the coupling, abody section 19 which terminates at shoulder 18, and a probe section 13.The probe section 13 preferably has a stepped external diameter, withlarger diameter section 17 adjacent shoulder 18, and smaller diameter 16of the probe section terminating at the second end or leading face 15 ofthe male coupling member. The male member has a stepped bore with afirst section 32 extending from the first end 14 to conical valve seat33 and a smaller diameter section 31 from the conical valve seat to thesecond end of the male member. The poppet valve assembly of the malemember is slideably received within the first larger bore 32 of the malemember. The poppet valve assembly includes cylindrical, hollow valvebody 34 with valve body apertures 35. Valve head 40 is conical in shapeand is dimensioned to seat and seal with valve seat 33. The conicalvalve head has an actuator or stem 41, extending longitudinally from theapex. Helical valve spring 50 urges conical valve face 40 to seal withconical valve seat 33. The helical valve spring is anchored with springcollar 36 which is held in place by collar clip 51.

Now referring to FIG. 2 of the drawing, the female member 20 of thecoupling is shown. Female member 20 includes threaded handle 21 adjacentfirst end 24, and a cylindrical body section 29 terminating at secondend 25. The female member has a central bore 62 extending from first end24 to conical valve seat 63. The conical valve seat terminates atinternal shoulder 84 which adjoins the receiving chamber of the femalemember. Preferably, a receiving chamber 82 has a stepped diameter toaccommodate one or more seals. In a preferred embodiment, the firstsection 89 of the receiving chamber terminates at shoulder 91. A hollow,radial pressure energized seal 90 is positioned on shoulder 91. Thisseal may be expansible radially inwardly and outwardly to seal with thewall of the receiving chamber and the probe section of the male member,in response to hydraulic fluid pressure acting on the hollow portion ofthe seal. Sleeve shaped seal retainer 60 is inserted in the receivingchamber to abut shoulder 83, The seal retainer 60 has an internal bore66 which is dimensioned to slideably receive the probe section of themale member. In a preferred embodiment, the internal bore 66 of the sealretainer is stepped to accommodate the probe section of the male member.Additionally, the seal retainer holds O-ring seal 59, which ispreferably an elastomeric seal, against shoulder 83 in the femalereceiving chamber. Also inserted into the larger section 57 of thefemale member receiving chamber is a retainer locking member 61. In apreferred embodiment, the retainer locking member 61 is threaded to theinternal wall 57 of the receiving chamber. An elastomeric seal 58, whichforms a radial seal between the seal retainer and the male member probe,has a dove tail interfit between the seal retainer and the retainerlocking member.

The poppet valve assembly of the female member includes conical valveface 70 and cylindrical valve body 77 with valve body apertures 75. Theconical valve face 70 of the poppet valve seals against conical valveseat 63, as valve spring 80 urges the poppet valve into the closedposition. Spring collar 74 is anchored to the female bore 62 with clip76. Extending from the apex of the conical valve face is valve actuatoror stem 71. As will be described in more detail, valve actuator 71enters the probe section of the male member when the coupling membersare engaged.

Now referring to FIG. 3, the male and female coupling members are shownin a fully engaged position. The male member probe section enters thereceiving chamber, whereby seal 58 engages diameter 17 of the probesection, and seal 90 engages diameter 16 of the probe section. Thepoppet valve actuator 71 of the female member enters bore 31 of the malemember and engages actuator 41 of the male member poppet valve assembly.Upon mutual engagement of the poppet valve actuators, further insertionurges the valves open so that hydraulic fluid may be transmitted betweenthe coupling members. When the male member is removed from the femalemember, valve springs 50 and 80 urge the poppet valves in the male andfemale members into the closed position to shut off the flow ofhydraulic fluid.

The present invention allows an increased bore diameter in the malemember or probe section without increasing the size or weight of themale member of the coupling. Accordingly, flow of hydraulic fluid may beincreased without increasing the external dimensions or weight of thecoupler. The invention allows an increased pressure rating and increasedflow through the coupling. Preferably, the diameter of the poppet valveis greater than the outer diameter of the probe section of the malemember. Similarly, the diameter of the first section of the male memberbore in which the poppet valve slides is greater than the outer diameterof the probe section. By dimensioning the poppet valve to have a largerdiameter than the probe section, the poppet valve must be positioned inthe male member body rather in the probe section which enters thereceiving chamber of the female coupling member. The valve actuator 41of the male member may extend partially or completely through bore 31 tothe leading face 15 of the male member. It also is desirable that theexternal diameter of the probe section be minimized to minimize thediameter against which the radial seal or seals engage. However, it alsois desirable to increase the diameter of the internal bore in the malemember, or both the male and female members, of the hydraulic coupling.With the larger bore, the present invention requires a larger poppetvalve diameter, and a correspondingly higher flow rate through the borethan was possible before in undersea hydraulic couplings with the sameor similar external dimensions and weight.

With the present invention, additional coupling members may bepositioned in the same space, or on the same manifold plate.Alternatively, the same number of couplings may be positioned in asmaller area or on a smaller manifold plate. As the weight of theindividual coupling members is reduced substantially, transportationcoupling and uncoupling tasks are less difficult for multiple couplingsattached to manifold plates, which are often handled by ROVs.

Although variations in the embodiment of the present invention may noteach realize all the advantages of the invention, certain features maybecome more important than others in various applications of the device.The invention, accordingly, should be understood to be limited only bythe scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An undersea hydraulic coupling comprising: (a) afemale member having a first end and a second end, a receiving chamberadjacent the first end, a central bore extending between the receivingchamber and the second end, a poppet valve in the central bore forcontrolling fluid flow therethrough, the poppet valve having an actuatorextending from the poppet valve, and at least one radial seal positionedin the receiving chamber; and (b) a male member having a first end and asecond end, a cylindrical body adjacent the first end, a probe sectionextending between the cylindrical body and the second end, the probesection dimensioned to fit in the receiving chamber while thecylindrical body is completely outside the receiving chamber, a firstbore extending through the cylindrical body and a second bore extendingthrough the probe section, a poppet valve in the first bore having abody section that is outside the receiving chamber when the probesection is in the receiving chamber, an actuator extending into thesecond bore, the male member poppet valve having an external diameterlarger than the diameter of the probe section, the poppet valve actuatorof the female member entering the second bore of the male member whenthe probe section is in the receiving chamber.
 2. The undersea hydrauliccoupling of claim 1 further comprising a seal retainer inserted into thereceiving chamber and holding the radial seal in place upon separationof the male and female members.
 3. The undersea hydraulic coupling ofclaim 1 wherein the radial seal is a pressure-energized hollow seal. 4.The undersea hydraulic coupling of claim 1 wherein the probe section hasa stepped external surface.
 5. The undersea hydraulic coupling of claim2 further comprising a retainer locking member engaged to the femalemember and an elastomeric seal having a dovetail interfit between theseal retainer and retainer locking member.
 6. An undersea hydrauliccoupling comprising: (a) a male coupling member having a central boreextending from a first end to a second end thereof, the male couplingmember having a body with a larger diameter adjacent the first end and asmaller diameter adjacent the second end, a conical valve seatintermediate the central bore, and a poppet valve slidable in thecentral bore in the first end of the male coupling member and having aconical face dimensioned to seal against the conical valve seat when thepoppet valve is in the normally closed position, a spring urging thepoppet valve to the normally closed position, and a valve actuatorextending from the conical face into the stepped central bore adjacentthe second end; (b) a female coupling member having a receiving chamberdimensioned to receive the smaller diameter of the male member therein,the poppet valve of the male member remaining outside the receivingchamber, the female coupling member having a valve actuator configuredto enter the second end of the male coupling member through the centralbore of the male coupling member and urge the poppet valve of the malemember open; and (c) a radial seal positioned in the receiving chamberand sealing between the receiving chamber of the female coupling memberand the male coupling member.
 7. The undersea hydraulic coupling ofclaim 6 wherein the central bore has a first larger diameter adjacentthe first end of the male coupling member and a second smaller diameteradjacent the second end of the male coupling member.
 8. The underseahydraulic coupling of claim 6 wherein the poppet valve of the malecoupling member is positioned in the first larger diameter of the malecoupling member.
 9. The undersea hydraulic coupling of claim 6 whereinthe poppet valve of the male coupling member has an external diameterlarger than the second smaller diameter of the male coupling memberadjacent the second end thereof.
 10. The undersea hydraulic coupling ofclaim 6 further comprising a poppet valve in the female coupling member,the valve actuator extending from the apex of the poppet valve.
 11. Theundersea hydraulic coupling of claim 6 further comprising asleeve-shaped seal retainer engaged to the female coupling member forholding the radial seal in place upon separation of the male and femalecoupling members.